The healthcare and life sciences sector recognises its significant role in addressing the climate crisis. While healthcare systems vary in their environmental impact, providers are increasingly prioritising sustainability and climate resilience through mature ESG strategies. These strategies focus on science-based targets, net-zero emissions, and climate-resilient healthcare delivery. Efforts include reducing direct emissions, influencing supply chain sustainability, and leveraging data-driven insights to improve environmental performance. This commitment to sustainability strengthens stakeholder trust, attracts and retains talent, and aligns with evolving regulatory requirements.

The world in 2030 
 

• Sustainable care delivery models: Digitally-enabled care models like telehealth and virtual consultations reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare by improving patient triaging and decreasing reliance on carbon-intensive hospitals and patient travel.
• Sustainable supply chain management: Healthcare systems are prioritising sustainable procurement practices, demanding transparency and evidence of environmental responsibility from suppliers while leveraging AI for efficient logistics and waste reduction.
• Transitioning to renewable energy and circular economy: Healthcare providers are actively transitioning to renewable energy sources and embracing circular economy principles by prioritising reusable and recyclable products to minimise their environmental impact.
• Collaborative action and data-driven insights: Healthcare stakeholders are collaborating to achieve net-zero ambitions, using standardised sustainability metrics, AI-powered platforms, and employee engagement to measure, track, and reduce their environmental footprint.
  

Overcoming cross-cutting constraints
 

There are several cross-cutting constraints that could affect the prediction (not having the right skills and talent, funding models, approach to regulation, and data governance in place). The prediction can be realised by turning the constraints into enablers by:

• equipping leaders with specialised expertise in climate change to drive sustainability initiatives, while developing educational programmes and incentives to empower employees to adopt a net-zero mindset
• recognising capital investments in green energy and sustainability projects as opportunities for growth and attracting investors through green bonds and transparent ESG reporting
• building a comprehensive regulatory landscape, standardised sustainability reporting metrics, and robust data management systems to ensure accountability, transparency, and comparability across the healthcare ecosystem.
  
  

Evidence in 2024
 

• Global impact of climate change. By 2050, climate change could lead to an additional 14.5 million deaths and US$12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide. Left unaddressed, these losses may exceed US$175 trillion by 2070.
• The global health sector is responsible for 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If it were a country, it would be the fifth largest emitter on the planet, according to a study carried out by the NGO Health Care Without Harm (HCWH). Seventy-one per cent of these emissions come from the supply chain, with the remaining 17% coming from the health facilities themselves and 12% from their energy consumption.
  

How AI/Gen AI might impact the sustainability of the healthcare ecosystem
 

• GenAI can enable proactive identification of energy and waste hotspots, optimise energy consumption, and enhance supply chain management, leading to a more sustainable healthcare system.
• GenAI can streamline clinical trials by optimising data collection, improving patient recruitment, facilitating remote monitoring, and reducing the need for travel, thus minimising environmental impact.
• GenAI-powered predictive analytics can optimise resource allocation, personalise treatment plans, and minimise waste in healthcare settings.
• However, it is critical to acknowledge that data collection, storage and analytics have significant energy demands and so contribute to GHG emissions and mitigation of these environmental impacts is essential.